Goulding leads Eire Og to glory
INTERNAL Muskerry competition was scarce last weekend, with the six Muskerry clubs participating at county championship level being the focus of attention. Those clubs all took part in exciting contests with varying degrees of success.
Eire Og’s historic victory in the Premier Intermediate Football County Final on Sunday at Pairc ui Rinn was the outstanding achievement of the weekend. They had a nail-biting encounter with St. Michaels, and they managed to be ahead by a two-point margin at the end of the hour. They performed well against daunting opponents to secure victory with their worthy captain, Daniel Goulding, leading the way.
Goulding had a very successful period as an inter-county footballer and his contribution to Eire Og’s emergence as a formidable adult football force is immeasurable. In 2008 he was to the fore when Eire Og won a Mid-Cork Junior Football Championship title for only the second time (the previous one was in 1976) and the team went on to gain a county football title success. He was subsequently involved in the efforts to secure for Eire Og victory at intermediate county level and move to premier intermediate football.
Goulding was involved in all attempts at securing same which were eventually realised in 2014 with a final victory over Rockchapel. Three years of semi-final defeats were suffered since that success but last Sunday it all came right for Daniel and his colleagues, and we know all Muskerry Gaeldom will congratulate all involved on their historic victory.
Meanwhile, another strong football force in Muskerry football was not so successful on the county championship trail last weekend as Iveleary had to give second best to a strong Kilshannig side in the junior football championship semi-final.
Iveleary were only two points behind at the finish so they will again be to the fore in Muskerry’s premier football championship in 2020 when they will be determined to win their way to another county title challenge.
The remaining teams from Muskerry in the county championship last week were in hurling and they were all victorious. Ballincollig, following their victory in U-21(A) hurling last season, were participating in the premier grade this year and gained an exciting victory over Glen Rovers in Pairc ui Rinn on Saturday last. They consequently gave hurling in their club a significant boost and it will be interesting to see how they fare with the powerful Midleton side in the next round on Sunday next.
Cloughduv and Inniscarra were both in action at U-21(A) championship level and they both performed well to overcome the challenges of Tracton and Courcey Rovers respectively. Aghabullogue’s talented junior (B) hurling team continued their winning way when they secured a comfortable victory over Freemount.
The clubs from the Muskerry division are certainly giving good accounts of themselves but problems can be created consequently vis-à-vis internal division competition with players from the successful teams being part of other teams in their respective clubs. The divisional board and all concerned are in a satisfactory situation however and true to form they will have all competitions before convention.
Last week they got a conclusion in another championship when Ballinora hurling got a boost by defeating St. Malachys in the U-21(B) hurling championship final and the two junior (C) football championship semi-finals got results. Gleann na Laoi and Dripsey qualified for the final with victories over Blarney and Eire Og respectively. Next week the board hopes that the number of outstanding competitions will be further reduced.
FIXTURES
Sunday, November 3
Junior (C) Football Championship Final
Dripsey v Gleann na Laoi 3.30pm (venue to be decided)
Junior (B) Football League Final
Inniscarra v Kilmurry 3.30pm (venue to be decided)
It is also hoped that the junior football league final between Canovee and Iveleary will be played